Hollow device cleaning apparatus employing air impulse-generated surges of flowing liquids



y 29, 1952 H. B. FECHTER 2,604,895

HOLLOW DEVICE CLEANING APPARATUS EMPLOYING AIR v IMPULSED-GENERATEDSURGES OF FLOWING' LIQUIDS Filed May 19, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 FIGJ.

INVENTOR.

Ho rry B. Fech'rer ATTORN EYS.

y 1952 H. B. FECHTER 2,604,895

' HOLLOW DEVICE CLEANING APPARATUS EMPLOYING AIR IMPULSED-GENERATEDSURGES OF FLOWING LIQUIDS Filed May 19, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 5 77'78 AFIG. 3. 64

60 6| T|M|;R

FLUID F H PRESSURE &

PRESSURE e2 FLU") REGUILATOR INVENTOR.

Harry B. Fechier ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 29, 1952 OFFICE; 1

HOLLOW Device. CLEANING, AP ARATUS;

EMPLOYING AIR IMPULSE-GENERATED'" SURGES- F FLOW-INGLIQUI-DS Harry B;Fechter, MinneapolispMinn.

Application Mayl9', 1948, Serialhlm.2?;334-

This invention relates-to cleaning: apparatus; and more specificallyto-apparatus for recycling a cleaning fluid thru 'a' device for cleaningthe latten-An example of such an; apparatus-isone which may beemployedtoclean automobile radiators; heater cores, oil filters, oil coolers,gasoline tanks and the like! An' important object of' theinventionis-tcrprovide an apparatus 'of' this kind which combinesheating,recirculating: and agitating thecleaningfiuid, wherebythe' fluid has themaximum opportunity to rid the device of'foreign matter."

Another important object is to "provide, in.an apparatus for cleaningpurposes, a': cleaning or washing action upon the device to be cleaned,augmented bythe provision of means to be able to'impart sudden,automatically controlled and timed air jet impulse shocks'to-thecleaningfiui'd.

Still another important; obj 'ectis to provideianapparatus"which'isspeedy, with a continuous cleaningaction so that; fromthe time the device to be cleaned is introducedto the cleaning fluid, tothe time it isreadyfor removal, the cleaning action is continuous.

A further important obj ect is to. provide means to cause numerousmomentary changes in the i directionof flow of'cleaning fluid'thru thedevice.

tobe cleaned, as the fluid is surged, and this is accomplished withoutthe use of means to mechanically rockior' agitate the device.

Another major object is to' combine with liquid cleaning, aeration ofthe' device to be' cleaned, all without the formation of air pocketswithin the device, which might" prevent-the entrance of cleaning liquidtoall accessible parts. of the interior of the device:

Because of the varying-capacity of'the devices being cleaned, afurther-majorobject isto'provide the operator with a widerangeof-selectivity of control of the" volume oficleaning fluid flowing thrueach device being'cleaned as well as selective control of the-forceof-the jetimpulses.

Other objects and advantages'of the invention willbe-appa-rent-duringthe course of the following' detailed descriptionof-the-invention; taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

forming apart of this-disclosure; and in which drawings:

Fig." l 'is' alongitudinal section thru the novel cleaning apparatus ofthe invention.

Fig. =2 is a transverse section substantially on the" line 2'-2- of Fig;1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic viewof the novel. cleaning system, employingthe apparatus of Figs; 1'- and 2;

Fig; 4-is anenlarged'view"partly"insection; of acoupling means betweenthe "newapparatus anda device to be cleaned thereby;

Fig. 5 is anenlarged view mostly-in section-mithat portion ofthe novelapparatusrwhere airand cleaning fluid meet; I

In the drawings, wherein-"for; the purpose-of illustration is shownapreferred embodiment of the: invention andwherein similar referencecharacters" designate: corresponding parts thrm out the several views,theiletter'A'designates the novel cleaning-system as: a; whole,including the new cleaning apparatus" *3; source of pressure fluid C,fluid pressure regulator mnlter means E, electrically operated shut-oifvalve, structure F, conduitsystem ,G, in which the various; ele.-ments B'to Finclusi'vte are interposed; and. which extends. to theapparatus Bhelecitric,v timer for valve. electric conductors. K; heating,means L and cleaning fluidlMi There are also, shown. devices. Njiorcleaning, v i I The. new cleaning, apparatus B ccmprisesa hous g l ,vmounting. a main clean n fluid supply conduit lv provided ,with special.conduit means, It and rcoupling means l3 to the, devices N, pump 1 4;-with. operating. means;- J5, and; pres.- sure fluid conduitsection L6,. 1

Theahousing, 10 may be provided with; vertical end walls- 25, verticalside-walls 26,. a bottom-wall, 231 having; an upwardly-stepped. centralportion 28 providing a support-m ter the devices Nzbeing, cleaned and-arecess 30, fiXtGIiOIIYOf-1thfij 110.115: ing,. .foraccommodating portionof: the heating means: L. There is; alsma; partial 'top' waiter andhinged. closure: 321 for-thea-mouth ;33'iot the housing Ill. which.ciosurefl 3 2; with thezpartiali top wall it, close; the upper end ofthehousing and these:several walls and closure-32define a compartment orchamber 34. Becausethe-bottom" wall 21 is-stepped, there are portions-oftlie chamber 34 below the horizontal plane of the support '29 forpurposes later detailed. The housing 'isprovided with suitable legs-"35.

Themain, cleaning fluid, supply conduit H extends longitudinally of andwithin the housing [0 and its chamber 34; preferablyadjacentthe topwall3'l and closure 32; bjeing near the rearmostsidewall 26, and has anintak e-section-- or. lateral 40 1 extending from intermediate its ends.to the bottom of the chamber 34. where itfiis. operatively" connectedwith the pump. l4." 011e end i l; of'the conduit H mayybs Welded to anend? wall :25 and' its opposite endimay be q qsed' by a suitableremovable closure ,42; to provide. for clean out; This-conduit ll maybeprovided'witn a conventional pressure gauge 43' exteriorly ojf thehousing III, a relief. valve 44' Within the chamber 34, and a'by passvalve 44" openin 'into the chamber 34 and having a valve-handle ex:tending to exteriorly of thehousing' l0, whereby the operator may openthe valve to avoid splash and provide the operator with means to adjustthe fluid pressure in the conduit l I.

There may be a plurality of special conduit means 12 extending from themain conduit H in spaced-apartrelationship. Each includes a plurality ofsmall conduit sections 45, 48, 41 and 48, with the section 45 openinginto the conduit H and into a check valve 49; the section 45 extendsfrom the check valve to a shut-off valve 50; the section 4'! from thevalve 50 to an elbow 5|; and the section 48 from the elbow to aconnecting means 52 with one end of a flexible conduit 53. At the lowerend of the conduit 53 is a connecting means 54 to connect the flexibleconduit 53 to one section of a coupling means l3, such as a conventionalbayonet slot device, with the other section thereof provided with means55 to attach -it to a convenient portion of the device N. The conduitmeans 12 preferably extends downwardly and toward the front side wall ofthe housing [0.

Opening into the elbow 5!, as shown in Fig. 5, is one end of thepressure fluid conduit section I6. This end has a restricted outlet 51preferably disposed intermediate the ends of the elbow and. with itsaxis substantially coincident with the axis of the discharge end openingof the elbow and, since the axis of this opening is also preferablycoincident with the axes of the portions 48, 53 and 55 of the means l2,the axis of the outlet 51 is also coincident with these axes. Any,suitable pressure fluid may be provided, suchas air or other suitablegas under pressure which may exit from the source C, thru section 60 ofconduit system G, in which is interposed a shut-01f valve BI and thesection 60 is operatively connected,.beyond the valve 6 I with laterals,each having a conventional fluid pressure regulator D. Beyondeachregulator D is a lateral conduit section 62,'with which a regulator D isoperatively connected, and in which section 62 are interposed a filtermeans E and electricallyoperated shut-off valve structure F including aflap valve 63 operated by a suitable means, as solenoid '64 havingwiring B5 and armature 66 with the latter connected with the valve ofthe shut-off valve as is well known in the art. Each lateral conduit'62,beyond the valve 63 is provided with a check valve 61, extends to andopens into'and is connected with a section l6.

Operatively connected with the solenoid 64- is an electric timer H. Theelectric wiring or conductors K may comprise, a lead Ill operativelyconnected with the motor I 5, and operatively connected with one of themain heavy-duty (such as 220 volts) conductors H, a lead 12 operativelyconnected with the motor i5 and the other main heavy-duty conductor 73and in which lead 12 is interposed a manually-operated electric switch14. A lead extends from a llO-volt (or like) conductor 8! to oneterminal of the switch H, a leadlfi from the other terminal thereofextends to a conventional electric timer H with which it is operativelyconnected as is common in the art. From the 110-volt (or like) conductor82 a lead H extends to the timer H and is also operatively connectedtherewith, with an electric switch 18 interposed in the lead H. From thetimer H a lead '19 extends to one end of the wiring 65 of the solenoidE4 and from the other end of this wiring, a lead 86 extends to the timerH.

The heating means L may be a battery of suitable burners 85, disposed inspaced-apart relationship in the recess so that they will heat thesupport 29.

In use, after one or more devices N are disposed upon the support 29 (ifmore than one, they may be disposed side-by-side) a suitable volume ofcleaning fluid -M may "beyintroduced into the chamber 34 thru the mouth337120 a suitable level depending upon the size and shape of the devicesN to be treated. For example, if the devices N are conventionalautomobile radiators, the level may be approximately that shown in Fig.2.

The heating means L may then be ignited and the pump l4 started byclosing the switch 14, recycling of the cleaning fluid M will thencommence. By opening the valve 6! which may then remain open at alltimes except for shutting oil the pressure fluid when making repairs andthe like, and closing the switch 18 the flow of pressure fluid willcommence and continue, in timed intervals (depending upon the setting ofthe timer-a conventional timer feature). As a result of the introductionof the air jets into the elbow 5!, and in a direction along thelongitudinal axis of the downwardly-extending portion of the means I2,the cleaning fluid M will not only flow thru the device N but will berendered exceedingly turbulent and reach every reachable part oftheinterior of the device. Moreover, the

turbulent fluid will be ejected from the device N under pressure so thatit will create a momentary vacuum, causing the cleaning fluid exteriorlyof the device N to pass over and around the device with some violenceand dislodge foreign matter upon the exterior portions of the device.(The device N is ordinarily raised slightly above the supportingsurface, in any approved way). Not only does the air cause thisturbulence and vac-, uum, but the air also assists in aerating theinterior of the device N and the cleaning fluid. The turbulence is alsoof major value-in agitating the cleaning fluid so that any undissolvedcleaning powder thereinwill be more apt to become dissolved.

Of course, before introducing the device N into the apparatus B, thecoupling means I3 may be separated at the bayonet slot and the lowerportion of the means attached to the inlet port 90 (as in Fig. 4)whereupon the device is disposed upon the support and the coupling means[3 connected. Shown too, are ports 91 and 92 which, in this case, arethe exhaust ports for the cleaning fluid. Y

The air regulator valves D permit the operator to individually select adesirable velocity for the jet impulse for each device N.

The switch H is so positioned with reference to the hinged side of theclosure, that the switch will open when the closure 32 is raised thuscausing opening of the circuit to the solenoids 64 and closing of theshut-off valve 63. This closes the latter at once, so that the hazard tothe operator of rapidly expanding air is obviated. The closure 32 andswitch 11 are operatively connected by the arcuate arm 58. This featurepermits insertion and removal. of the various devices N by merelyclosing the valve 50 and reopening it after exhausting selected devicesN, while permitting washing in any other devices N without interruption.I 7

From the foregoing. it is clear that there is more than a mere flow ofcleaning fluid thru the device N, and even more than a recycling of thefluid, since the fluid is introduced under pressure and with turbulence,and is associated with air (so as to take advantage of the oxygentherein) under pressure. The air is not introduced in a steady flow, butin jets, and this tends to cause numerous momentary changes in thedirection of flow of the fluid thru the device N as the fiuid is surgedthus causing the dislodgment of scale, rust and similar adhering matter.This is, of course, accomplished without the use of mechanical means torock or agitate the device N and the device is, at all times, flat andimmovable during cleaning. If the device were inclined during cleaning,air pockets would be apt to develop, preventing thorough cleaning.

As may be seen, particularly in Figs. 3 and 5, the air jets are notimpeded as they leave the opening 51 because of the coinciding axesmentioned, and the full force of the jet is utilized to urge the fluidforward. In fact, the air jets blow the cleaning fluid clear of theinterior of the devices N momentarily at each jet impulse.

By providing for the cleaning of a plurality of devices at the sametime, there is an economy of time effected and, since there is a wideselectivity of control of the volumes of cleaning fluid and force of thejet impulse to any selected device, devices of various capacities may beaccommodated at the same time within the same apparatus.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shownand described without departing from the spirit of the invention orscope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cleaning system for a hollow device having intake and exhaustports, an openmouthed housing constructed and arranged to contain a bodyof cleaning liquid partly filling the chamber of said housing; a hingedclosure for the mouth of said housing; means for supporting said devicewithin said housing in a substantially horizontal position; means forcycling and recycling a cleaning liquid thru said device while Withinsaid housing and within said liquid and While said closure is open orclosed, including a cleaning liquid conduit wholly within said housingand opening into one of said ports; means for injecting a pressure fluidinto said conduit at a location within said housing and in the directionof the normal flow of cleaning liquid therethru; means for discontinuingoperation of said means for cycling and recycling; electromechanicalmeans for intermittently stopping and starting the flow of pressurefluid into said conduit; and electro-mechanical means responsive to theopening of said closure to stop the flow of pressure fluid into saidconduit upon opening said closure and while said closure is open.

2. In apparatus for simultaneously cleaning a, plurality of hollowdevices, each having an intake port and an exhaust port, a housingdefining an open-mouthed chamber constructed and arranged to contain abody of cleaning liquid, said housing having a pivoted closure for themouth of said chamber, said housing including a bottom wall, said bottomwall being provided with means to support a plurality of said devices ina row; means for cycling and recycling said body of cleaning liquid thrusaid devices while said closure is open or closed, including ahorizontallydisposed main liquid supply conduit below said closure, apump, a lateral extending from the ex,- haust side of said pump andopening into said conduit and a plurality of spacedapart,downwardly-extending conduits opening into said main conduit andextending downwardly to said hollow devices; means carried by each ofsaid downwardly-extending conduits to detachably secure a hollow deviceto its adjacent downwardly-extending conduit; an air-jet nipple for eachdownwardly-extending conduit, with the discharge mouth of said nipplewithin its downwardly-extending conduit; an air-pressure conduitextending from the intake end of each nipple; means to inject pressurefluid into said air pressure conduit; means responsive to the opening ofsaid closure to place said last named means out of operation when saidclosure is being opened or is open; and selective means to render saidmeans for cycling and recycling inoperative, whereby cleaning liquidceases to flow through a selected device within said apparatus.

3. Apparatus for simultaneously cleaning a plurality of hollow devices,each having an intake port and an exhaust port, a housing defining anopen-mouthed chamber constructed and arranged to contain a body ofcleaning liquid, said housing having a pivoted closure for the mouth ofsaid chamber, said housing including a bottom wall, said bottom wallbeing provided with means to support a plurality of said devices in arow; means for cycling and recycling said body of cleaning liquid thrusaid devices while said closure is open or closed, including ahorizontally-disposed main liquid supply conduit below said closure, apump, a lateral extending from the exhaust side of said pump and openinginto said conduit and a plurality of spaced-apart, downwardly-extendingconduits opening into said main conduit and extending downwardly to saidhollow devices; means carried by each of said downwardly-extendingconduits to detachably secure a hollow device to its adjacentdownwardlyextending conduit; an air-jet nipple for eachdownwardly-extending conduit, with the discharge mouth of said nipplewithin its downwardly-extending conduit; an air-pressure conduitextending from the intake end of each nipple; means to inject pressurefluid into said air pressure conduit; means responsive to the opening ofsaid closure to place said last named means out of operation when saidclosure is being opened or is open; and means to selectively open andclose the passageway through each of said downwardly-extending conduits,whereby cleaning liquid ceases to flow through a selected device withinsaid apparatus.

HARRY B. FECHTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 993,602 Johnston May 30, 19111,625,300 Davis Apr. 19, 1927 1,865,289 Trowbridge June 28. 19321,908,955 Carmin May 16, 1933 1,939,836 Tolfree Dec. 19, 1933 1,983,084Janus Dec. 4, 1934 2,033,812 Brewer Mar. 10, 1936 2,089,317 Wilder Aug.10, 1937 2,170,730 Rodieck Aug. 22, 1939 2,222,516 Powell et a1 Nov. 19,1940 2,352,356 Albertson June 27, 1944 2,418,366 Powers Apr. 1, 19472,429,090 Burt-Wells Oct. 14, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date154,438 Germany Nov. 2, 1904

